2013 Ram 1500

Chrysler revitalizes its bread-and-butter half-tonner: more muscle, less thirst.

The Ram pickup has been with us since 1981, and through those three-plus decades it has played third fiddle to its Ford and Chevy rivals.

That’s a long time, during which numerous sales managers have probably found it necessary to update their résumés. But the latest generation could well bring that also-ran status to an end—at least until the 2014 GM pickups make their appearance. Maybe even beyond.

So what’s the big deal? Styling? Design chief Joe Dehner and his sheetmetal commandos have massaged just about every square inch of the front end, and the sum of their attentions is a coefficient of drag—0.36—that’s best in class, according to the Ram hymnal.

But when you get right down to it, the new truck looks a lot like the old one, and anyone who doesn’t know it’s a Ram hasn’t been driving in America since 1994.

Okay, how about chassis? New stuff down there. Chrysler—sorry, the trucks are now under the Ram brand—used high-strength steel throughout, saving about 30 pounds in the frame and chassis. And optional air springs at all four corners, an upgrade made easy by the 2009 introduction of a coil-spring rear suspension, are available on Quad and Crew Cab models.

The air springs allow adjustable ride height—for example, the driver can add up to two inches of ground clearance for dirty work, then lower the truck at highway speeds to improve aero. Beyond that, they deliver exceptionally silky ride quality by truck standards, on pavement or off.

Interiors? All new, with upgraded materials; a vast array of choices ranging up to the fancy embossed leather of the Laramie Longhorn trim level; expanded telematics and connectivity including hotspot Wi-Fi, a work-site boon; a new power-locking system that secures the tailgate and side-mounted RamBoxes with one key-fob click.

As before, the Ram, like its domestic competitors, continues to offer a broad array of body styles, bed lengths, powertrain choices, off-road packages, and trim levels that go from basic to super luxo.

In a market where fuel economy is paramount—particularly for full-size pickups—the Ram’s new standard powertrain raises the stakes in both power and thrift. Chrysler’s 3.6-liter DOHC 24-valve 60-degree Pentastar V-6 replaces the previous SOHC 3.7-liter 90-degree 12-valve V-6, an upgrade that’s analogous to swapping your tired old plow horse for a derby-ready thoroughbred. Output jumps from a seriously anemic 215 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque to a robust 305 and 269, respectively.

The new engine mates to an even newer eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission (built under license from ZF), replacing the previous four-speed. This combination, augmented by other econo-tech touches—a stop-start system shuts the engine down at traffic lights; closable shutters in the big new grille; a heat exchanger that uses engine coolant to warm transmission oil more rapidly, reducing viscosity—adds up to impressive EPA ratings: 18 mpg city, 25 highway.

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